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Apr 04 2018

‘Alexa, Turn On My Jacket’

This article originally appeared on our Forbes blog

Boston-based startup Ministry of Supply is obsessed with merging technology and style. Their signature performance-professional apparel line uses highly-engineered fabrics to deliver comfort, breathability, and the promise of never having to iron your work clothes again. Now, they’ve taken their scientific approach to design a step further with their newest release the Mercury Intelligent Heated Jacket.

Touted as the world’s first truly “smart” coat, the Mercury pre-heats with an Alexa-directed voice command. Or, if you don’t have an Echo, or happen to be too far from one, you can switch on the coat via an app or an interior power button. While saying “Alexa, turn on my jacket” is certainly novel, it’s not the only thing that makes the jacket stand out from other heated options on the market.

A microcontroller system begins learning the wearer’s preferences and behaviors as soon as the jacket is worn, gauging both outer and inner temperatures and monitoring speed and motion. (You can also turn the heat up or down via the app.) Over time, the built-in thermostat becomes adept at optimizing your body temperature for whatever conditions are present, such as jogging or walking indoors after being out in the cold. A replaceable battery delivers the necessary power for these tasks, and the jacket conveniently charges via a standard USB cord for up to a week’s worth of use.

Despite somewhat complex features, the Mercury looks much like a regular coat. It is not visibly bulky and the interior heaters are described by the company as “weightless” and “thinner than a dime.” The entire garment is machine washable.

According to their recent Kickstarter campaign, the public seems excited about Ministry’s concept. The jacket was launched on the platform last month and quickly raised nearly $650,000. Co-founders Kit Harrington, Gihan Amarasiriwarden, and Aman Advani believe the swift support is due to the company’s stated focus on market pull – answering a real market problem or opportunity versus technology push – which is simply invention for the sake of invention. “We saw a clear demand for a sleek, warm, and everything-proof jacket, that gets better with time by using technology. Kickstarter is great because it sniffs out market pull systematically and effectively.”

The next test for The Mercury will come in November of this year, when buyers will receive the first shipment of coats. Even when they work well, first generation products are often quick to evolve. Ministry will likely be monitoring feedback closely and updating future iterations of the product based on usage patterns and customer requests.

The wearable space is indeed heating up, but there is still lots of open space and opportunity. Entrepreneurs wanting to replicate Ministry’s success would be wise to look to market segments that have been historically under-served, such as women’s wellness, maternal health, and tools for the specially-abled. Prioritizing women-led design may also give companies a competitive edge, as it brings a valuable set of perspectives to the table and can fight bias in the artificial intelligence that fuels the wearable marketplace.

One thing, however, is certain – garments and accessories that integrate the latest technology are piquing public interest, and we’re likely to see a lot more of them in years to come.

Written by admin · Categorized: Product Design · Tagged: Entreprenuership, Funding

Dec 22 2017

Why Products Designed By Women Are The Next Big Thing

This article originally appeared on our Forbes blog

An Interview with Danielle Kayembe
Danielle Kayembe is a futurist and the founder of GreyFire Advisory.

Have you heard the term coded patriarchy? According to Danielle Kayembe, founder of GreyFire Advisory and author of the white paper ‘The Silent Rise of the Female-Driven Economy’, it’s a phenomenon that impacts nearly every aspect of a woman’s waking life. Since the majority of our everyday products and systems are designed by and for men — to the exclusion of women’s unique needs, biology, and wants –our reality is in fact male-centric, says Kayembe.

Instances of patriarchal coding can be found in buildings, technology, and consumer products. For example, building doors are typically engineered for the tensile strength of men, making it difficult for some women to open them. None of the most popular health tracking apps (Apple, Fitbit, Nike)  included a way for women to track their monthly cycles at release, despite the fact that most users of these devices are women and periods are a fundamental component of women’s health. Other consequences are more sobering. When airbags were first introduced, hundreds of women and children were injured and killed because the companies who launched them had only thought to test them on the male body.

While such observations may seem negative, Kayembe posits there is a huge, untapped potential in the market for women-centered innovation (WCI): products and services that are not just marketed to women, but created by them too. Women designers and entrepreneurs have an innate ability to understand the pain points and aspirations of female consumers and thus drive new types of innovation, disruption, and brand loyalty. Or as Kayembe puts it, “Every woman, by virtue of her lived experience, is now a walking hub of multi-million dollar business ideas.”

Globally it’s estimated that women make 85% of consumer spending decisions, and when united as a market, represent the world’s second largest GDP. In the US they control roughly 50% of personal wealth ($14 trillion in assets!) and are the primary breadwinners in over 40% of households. Yet despite possessing substantial decision-making and buying power, only 2% of venture funding is given to women-led companies. According to Kayembe, this disconnect represents “the largest arbitrage opportunity in the market today.”

The tendency of today’s investors to overlook and underfund female entrepreneurs may well be changing. Kayembe predicts that as the most successful female-founded companies reach liquidity (IPO’s or acquisitions), “a new ecosystem will form.” Namely, female investors will launch their own funds, invest in companies that sell products and services they are familiar with, and actively seek out women-led companies to support. Instead of having to depend entirely on the current venture capital network, they will create their own, comprised of WCI-friendly investors and companies.

If this shift does in fact play out, other factors are likely to ignite the success of WCI. One is that women are known for sharing products they love with other women, a behavior enhanced greatly by the use of social media (which women engage in 62% more than men). The second is that millenials are buying more from smaller companies and choosing value-based brands over traditional heritage brands. The Boston Consulting Group estimates that large companies have lost $18 billion in sales to small businesses in the 5-year period ending in 2014. Both of these social trends lend themselves to the rise of female-driven products and services.

It’s easy to see the world as static, and to view people as too entrenched in their ways to create seismic change. Especially since coded patriarchy is potentially thousands of years in the making! But Kayembe sums it up best: “The darlings of the business world shifted from middle-aged men in Brooks Brothers suits, to college dropouts in hoodies — it’s about to shift again.”

Written by admin · Categorized: Lifestyle, Product Design · Tagged: Entreprenuership, Funding

Sep 12 2017

Planning On Preselling Your Products? Read This First

This article originally appeared on our Forbes blog

Preselling is a great way to launch or grow a new business with physical products. Because customers pay for goods upfront, before a large batch of inventory has been made, entrepreneurs can escape the pressure of funding their own manufacturing expenses. Revenue generated by presales can be used to cover the cost of materials, production, and more.

Though the presale model may sound ideal, it does come with some risks. While seasoned brands have had time to test and refine their manufacturing process, new makers are still operating on a learning curve. Beginner’s mistakes can lead to production delays, defects and quality problems, and, in a worst-case scenario, a total loss loss of inventory. The latter can be disastrous, particularly if a brand lacks the resources to re-make the product or issue refunds.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to minimize the likelihood of problems when preselling.

1) Complete the Sampling Process With Your Manufacturer

In my work with clients, I’m surprised at how many people don’t get fully finished samples before starting to presell. This trend is due, in part, to the ease with which designs can be presented before they are actually made. The ability to retouch imperfect samples or create life-like digital renderings means that a concept can be partially flushed out or exist solely on paper, but still make for compelling website photography!

Going through a complete sampling process with your manufacturer of choice will ensure that your design doesn’t have weak spots and that your supplier can make the product at the level of quality you desire, in a reasonable amount of time. Getting semi-finished samples–or worse–waiting to sample until production starts (after you’ve sold inventory) leaves you vulnerable to unwanted surprises, such as poorly performing materials, assembly defects, and slower than anticipated turnarounds.

2) Perform Product Testing

Whether you are sending your finished product to a testing agency or performing your own set of tests, making sure your design functions as its supposed to is an integral part of the making process. Certified agencies are great for tests such as seam strength, material toxicity, choking hazards, and other metrics that require special equipment and precise measurements. Informal tests, such as simply using a product sample for an extended period of time, or repeatedly washing a garment according to the care instructions you’ve set, are great ways to understand if design changes are needed before you produce.

With either method of testing, it’s crucial that you’re 100% confident in the way your product will perform before sinking other people’s money into making it.

3) Build in a Buffer

The age-old advice to build a cushion into any budget or timeline is especially true when manufacturing a product. Add even more so if you are a beginner! Things often take longer and cost more than anticipated, which is fine (albeit frustrating) if you are answering only to yourself. But promising finished products to customers and then either running out of money to make them, or falling significantly behind schedule, will cause extreme stress and strain.

In order to preserve your sanity, reputation, and wallet, build at least a 20% buffer into any time and cost projections. This includes the total investment you anticipate will be required to manufacture your pre sale inventory, as well as the delivery date you set for buyers.

Written by admin · Categorized: Manufacturing, Sourcing · Tagged: Costs, Entreprenuership, Funding

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